


Of Tea and Molly

by canibecandid



Category: Sherlock - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-07
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-25 08:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/950803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canibecandid/pseuds/canibecandid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It's not about getting what you want, it's about getting what you need."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chamomile and Lavender

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MorbidbyDefault](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorbidbyDefault/gifts).



**(Chamomile and Lavander)**

“I wanted coffee, black with tw-”

“Two sugars, I know. But it’s not about getting what you want sometimes, Sherlock, it’s about getting what you need.” Molly insisted, handing him the steaming cup of tea. Wearily, he took the cup and eyed the golden colored liquid. Sherlock inhaled once, swirled the contents around inside the cup, and inhaled again before turning back to her. “Honestly Molly, chamomile with- what is that?” Another sniff and a small sip. “Lavender and honey.”

Molly gave a quiet smile and stirred her cup idly while she listened to him.

“Yes Sherlock, and you should drink it.” Molly tapped   her own cup. “It might help.”

“I don’t need help, I need to dismantle a criminal network.” Sherlock snapped. Molly recoiled from his words like she’d been burned and she felt herself chill.

“Just drink the bloody tea.” Molly said quietly, taking a sip of her own tea. Sherlock’s jaw locked as he analyzed her. He scoffed and took a sip. “Now you’re angry.” He took a deeper drink as Molly lifted herself from the couch and over to her small book collection. He watched her pluck a well worn spine from the shelves and sat back down  on the couch.

“What are you doing?”

Molly lifted an eyebrow, but did not look up. “I’m reading, obviously Sherlock.”

“But you’re cross with me.” This time Molly did look up and she gave him a tired smile.

“I’m not cross, I’m hurt.” She said, leaning back into her chair. “Just drink the tea, Sherlock. You need sleep, as much as you would argue that you don’t, it would help your thought processing and stamina.”

Sherlock drank the tea with no lack of complaint, he drank two more cups and passed out on her couch with his head in her lap. Molly made no comment, just fetching more tea when his cup ran out and shifting every now and again when it looked like his body was giving out on him, guiding him to a more proper way to sleep than hunched in a corner. He might have called her on it, she thinks, if he wasn’t so exhausted from carrying out his plan. She gently ran her fingers through his hair and the furrow on his brow lessened, so she continued until she was sure he would sleep soundly. After maneuvering herself out from under his head, and slipping into her own bedroom to sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, he was gone and so was the tea from the night before.

 


	2. Salted Caramel Chai Tea

 

**(Salted Caramel Chai Tea)**

 

Opening her cabinets, Molly rummaged through her many air tight tins of loose leaf tea and packets of pre-packaged teas and even a few powdered drinks and coffee. It was almost ridiculous to the point where she’d started filtering her tea cups and coffee mugs into another cabinet so that they could have room. Molly hummed thoughtfully to herself as she withdrew a blend of hot chocolate called “Merry Mint”, the name making her giggle, and stepped over Toby on her way to the stove top and kettle to get her water going.

Popping the lid off, she ran the tap into the kettle long enough to make enough water for just herself and then she eyed the book lying at the end of her sofa and made it enough for two cups just in case she wanted another.

With the stove on and waiting for the kettle, she settled onto her couch and tugged the warm throw blanket over herself while reaching for her book. It had been awhile since she’d had the chance to take some time for herself and just relax and she should really start on the book that Mary had lent her so that she could return it soon. She could hear the kettle start to hiss weakly and Toby was getting settled into her lap when she heard a quiet knock on her door. Molly almost didn’t hear it, but it came again but just slightly louder.

Toby groaned in protest as his owner scrambled to her feet and he lazily plopped to the floor and stretched before lacing between her legs to meet their unexpected company. Although she probably should have, given her choice in acquaintances and friends, Molly skipped looking through her peephole and opened the door letting out a surprised yelp when the chain link lock pulled the door back into place.

“Sorry! Just a second.” Molly called out, sliding the lock and reopening the door. “Mary? What are you doing here? I thought you had a date with Jo-” Molly paused mid sentence as she saw her friends eyes well up with tears. “Oh, oh no. I’m sorry, come in.” Opening to door just wide enough to let Mary pass and softly nudging Toby back with her foot.

Mary gave a watery smile and dabbed at her eyes with a shaky chuckle as she crossed the threshold. “Thanks Molls.” Squeezing Mary’s hand with a tiny smile, Molly lead her into the kitchen and sat her at the counter’s bar stool. Molly reopened her tea cabinet and replaced her hot chocolate mix with a powdered chai and brought out another mug for Mary.

Doling out the powder and bringing the cups over to the now whistling kettle, Molly worked quickly while her friend tried to sniffle quietly. She placed the drink in front of Mary with a little nudge and paid no mind to Toby as he lept on to the counter to drink from his bowl, only smiling a little when Mary took a sip of her drink and her shoulders relaxed a little.

"I- I'm sorry Molly, I should have rang. I just- I was just upset." Mary admitted, looking much more worn than she was a few minutes ago. Molly placed a comforting hand on Mary's.

"Tell me what happened, what can I do?" Tears brimmed in Mary's eyes at her friends sincerity.

"I'm- I'm just being rediculous." Mary said while wiping her eyes, Molly raised an eye brow and Mary gave a weak smile. "It was worth a try, Molls."

"Mary, you don't just come over in tears over nothing. What happened?" Molly urged, and finally the dam broke.

"John didn't show, again. I- I know that it's silly but I just-" Mary took another sip of her drink and sighed before catching a tear with the back of her hand. "I don't feel like I'm ever going to come first." Mary muttered, closing her eyes and just inhaling the scent of the chai tea in her hands. "Every time Sherlock calls, John goes. I know that, and I don't want him to stop, but- but I wish that I knew that I was important to him too." More tears came and Molly fetch a box of tissues from her living room.

"Thank you. But it's silly, because I know that I'm important, at least a little. Otherwise he wouldn't be as sorry as he is when he comes back." Mary whimpered a little as she blew her nose. "I guess I'm just feeling a bit neglected, is all."

"It's not silly at all." Molly said as she took a tiny sip from her own drink. "Have you talked to him at all about it?" Mary shook her head and shrugged.

"When have I had the time? It's usually 'Be back in a sec, gotta case.' a peck on the cheek and then he's off again."

Molly shook her head. "Make the time, Mary, if you really like him this much you'll need to make the time. Everyone else just expects him to know all the time, he can't read your mind. I promise that it'll help."

Mary chewed her bottom lip. "Ya' think?"

Molly gave a reassuring smile. "I know."

* * *

Molly poured the rest of her drink down the drain as she set her's and Mary's cup in the sink. She liked the salted caramel chai tea mix that she'd purchased from a high end grocer, but she just wasn't in the mood for it tonight. She picked up the canister and turned it so that the neatly scrawled "Mary" on the back wasn't visible from the open cabinet.

Mary was very much like the powdered mix that she'd just stowed away. From the outside she could seem a bit much, maybe a little needy if you didn't know her, but she was full of warmth and a sweetness that was hard to match with her underlying spicier notes.

She really hoped that Mary would talk to John about how she felt, Molly just wanted her friends to be happy in the end and talking through their issues would only help both parties.

With a sigh, Molly rinsed and washed the cups out and put them on the rack to dry. Tonight had not gone as she had planned and frankly she felt too exhausted to read anymore. Hopefully her friends would work things out, they both deserved some type of happiness. They deserved that at the very least.

After Sherlock's fall, Mary had been the one to help John through his grief, and when he came back Mary had helped John through his well deserved anger.  Mary had helped John in many way Molly just couldn't. She just felt too guilty in her part of John's grief and she knew that she'd been spared from both of their wraths. Guilt would churn in her stomach when she could feel John's eyes at the back of her neck or she caught Mary's sad smile. Molly wasn't meant to notice these things, she knew, but she had seen them any way and she'd never had the ability to just delete things she no longer wanted to feel or see.

Molly also knew that Sherlock, in his own way, was apprecitive of Mary for guiding John back from his rage and ending his wallowing much sooner than anyone had anticipated. As much as he'd hate to admit it, Sherlock owed the petie blonde. So if Mary needed a shoulder to cry on, a firm word and a piece of advice, Molly would happily give it to her. Because she needed it too.


End file.
